A Public Health Fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Kwame Sarpong Asiedu, has expressed deep concern over what he describes as an “alarming level of ignorance” among Ghanaians regarding the impact of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, on food production and public health.

Speaking on JoyNews’ latest report on food commodities sourced from galamsey-affected areas and sold in markets across Accra, Dr Asiedu lamented that many Ghanaians, particularly those in local communities, remain unaware that illegal mining activities have direct consequences on the quality and safety of food produced in these regions.

"It is funny, but the level of ignorance is alarming," he responded to the news report on JoyFM's Super Morning Show on Tuesday, September 30.

"That is what really scares me, because if someone says she will add salt, which is basically sodium chloride, to a product that contains mercury, cyanide and all that to dissolve it, I don't know what chemical reaction that person is trying to undertake," he added.

Read also: Health alert! Crops, fish poisoned in Galamsey areas – New study warns

The JoyNews report revealed that several traders did not believe that food crops cultivated in galamsey zones could be contaminated.

Dr Asiedu called for intensified public education and stronger regulatory interventions to address this critical gap in awareness, emphasising that ignorance of the dangers only worsens the threat to national food security and public health.

He warned that, if nothing is done as soon as possible to contain the situation, a time will come in the country where "people will decide to go to the supermarket to buy foods that are marked as imported into the country."

This, he believes, will affect food production domestically.